You'll recognize the name—but the company says it could pose a hazard for around 50 million Americans who can't eat certain foods.
Orville Redenbacher used to be the face most associated with popcorn, but as newer brands have emerged, so have more modern popcorn-hocking personas. AdWeek covered it last year when Jennifer Aniston—who’s been well known to align herself with wellness-oriented products—debuted in a series of commercials with SkinnyPop in time for the Oscars.
The truth is, for all its of-the-moment positioning, since 2018 SkinnyPop has been owned by a classic purveyor of snacking: The Hershey Company. Leaders there have announced via PR Newswire this week that some SkinnyPop is being pulled from shelves due to concerns related to an ingredient, though the company does not appear to be calling this event a “recall.”
A Monday announcement shared that SkinnyPop is “voluntarily removing its newly launched dairy-containing White Cheddar Popcorn from store shelves to provide clarity for consumers with milk allergies.”
The issue seems to stem from problems in the packaging design phase—the announcement suggests that while the dairy version of the White Cheddar Popcorn clearly denotes the inclusion of milk on the front of the bag and within the ingredients list, it could stump some customers. Both appear in light-orange packaging seemingly chosen to call cheddar cheese to mind, with only the words Dairy Free in small font distinguishing between the two on the front of the bags. The notice says: “The decision to remove the product is out of an abundance of caution because the dairy-containing and dairy-free White Cheddar Popcorn varieties have similar packaging that could contribute to confusion at retail or at home.”
Dairy is one of the top food allergens, and exposure can be fatal for some individuals who consume it. Further, Boston Children’s Hospital has said an estimated 30 million to 50 million Americans experience lactose intolerance.
A somewhat similar event happened in December 2024 when Lays pulled its Classic Potato Chips from some U.S. shelves, suggesting dairy had made its way into a quantity of bags. “The product may contain milk and, if eaten, could result in severe allergic reactions in persons sensitive to milk,” Lays stated.
As for SkinnyPop, they offer recourse for customers who may have confused the dairy versus non-dairy packaging: “While the dairy-containing White Cheddar Popcorn variety is safe for consumers who do not have milk allergies, consumers with milk allergies who have the dairy-containing White Cheddar Popcorn should not consume it.”
A VP of marketing at The Hershey Company spoke to the popularity of the SkinnyPop brand: “SkinnyPop is the fastest growing ready-to-eat popcorn brand, having doubled in size between 2013 and 2019,” noted Kyle Banahan, who added that consumers “love the product because they can eat it without feeling bad about themselves.”
In general, popcorn can be a healthier pick than other salty snacks, thanks in part to its fiber content and generally lower fat—as long as you don’t get the kind with loads of toppings, coatings, and oils. (Also, watch out for that salt.) And, allergies or not, get in the habit of studying your ingredients labels.
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